


Ready, Aim, Fire!

by Trident



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Family, Gen, Shooting Lesson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:13:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28663008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trident/pseuds/Trident
Summary: Ironhide teaches a young Sideswipe how to shoot.
Relationships: Chromia & Ironhide (Transformers), Ironhide/Ratchet (Transformers), Sideswipe & Sunstreaker (Transformers)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	Ready, Aim, Fire!

“Ya gotta aim a bit higher, Sides,” Ironhide told the red youngling who he could see was getting a bit frustrated. He held out his servo, as he came over. “Can Ah see yer gun for a nanosec?”

“Yeah, sure, Pops. I just don’t get it! Why isn’t it working?” Sideswipe demanded to know, as he handed over the training weapon, albeit a bit roughly. After cycles of petitioning their adoptive creators- because Auntie Chromia allowed _Bumblebee_ to train with Ironhide- Ratchet had _finally_ consented to it, on the caveat that Sideswipe and Sunstreaker didn’t touch any of the real weapons yet. Sideswipe didn’t really think that was fair, since Bumblebee, who was way younger than them, got to use real weapons, but he didn’t outright complain. A small victory was better than nothing.

Ironhide raised an unimpressed optic ridge at his adopted son’s mini-outburst. “Well now, first of all, Sides, ya gotta treat yer weapon better than that. Ya gotta work for yer weapon if ya want it to work for ya.”

Sideswipe snorted dryly and rolled his optics. “Yeah, right. Puh-lease, Pops. Everyone knows that’s bullslag.”

“Nah it ain’t, n’ ya better mind yer glossa, kid,” Ironhide replied back in stern vocals.

“Like you, Lolly, and Auntie Chromia?”

“No. Like good lil younglings. Ratch, ‘Mia, n’ Ah can say it, ‘cause we’re workin’ grown-ups.” Ironhide corrected with a glare, although it held no venom. Honestly, it was hard to hold back a smile whenever his adopted creations showed their comfort with ease. 

The maroon warrior could remember how all the bitlets were at first. The twins, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, were quiet, practically silent, and perfectly obedient. _Too_ obedient. Their platings would quake constantly, symptoms of being starved, neglected, and tortured for vorns under the so-called ‘care’ of Shockwave and his scientist cronies. Bumblebee was also rather traumatized, having been found in the wreckage of a section of Iacon that had been reduced to rubble in an air raid. The one small miracle was that Bumblebee was far too young to remember most of it. Not to mention the yellow minibot youngling also came from a far better past life than the twins had, and thus he was more trusting and open. 

Ironhide loved his adopted sons dearly, and he hated that they had to go through such horrors, Unfortunately, as the odds were not looking good for a speedy war, the weapons specialist dreaded what was in store for his little family in the coming vorns. He gave it 4/5 odds, that he’d be going to the front again within a matter of decacycles, meaning that he wouldn’t be around to directly keep his kids and lover safe. 

He knew Chromia, his best friend, could defend herself. The femme was a natural at strategic combat. Ironhide had no shame in admitting that she could even best him in a sparring match. What she lacked in armor quality, she made up for in sheer talent, stealth, and agility. 

But Ratchet? The children? The medic was practically a miracle when it came to medicine. His lover’s cleverness and quick decision-making enabled him to get the job done right on the battlefield whereas other medics might have given up entirely. However, a warrior, Ratchet was not. As for the children… Forget about it.

So he had begun giving lessons to Ratchet again and pushed the medic to allow him to give their twins lessons. Try as he might, Ratchet couldn’t argue with sound logic, and Ironhide (and the twins) could be rather stubborn, so eventually, the medic caved. These now daily sessions were the result. 

Ironhide turned the gun over in his servo reverently, returning to the line of thought and conversation that originally brought him here. “Ya see Sides, it does matter. Ya got lucky now, but ya could’ve dented yer gun, handlin’ it all roughly like that. Dentin’ can cause fritzin’ and sparkin’ n’ that ain’t any good at all.

“Now then, ya see that there scope, kiddo?” A glance at Sideswipe showed the red and black youngling nodding along. “I betcha that’s what yer aiming with. Right at the center too.” Another glance showed him a more passionate nod. 

Ironhide could remember being in his son’s shoes. It was a fair amount of vorns ago, that he decided to go to the shooting range, just to see what the older mechs around him were talking about. Ah, how goofy he must have seemed to the very same mechs at first. But he kept trying, and with their assistance, eventually surpassed them all in skill. Now it was his turn to do the same for his kids.

Ironhide shook his helm and handed the gun back over. “Nah, see kid, yer gonna wanna aim higher. Since the scope’s higher than the barrel. Not a lot higher- do what you were before, look through to the center- that’s it. Now, point it up a lil bit- yeah, yer good there. Stop fidgetin' now. And... fire!”

Sideswipe nearly dropped his training blaster in awe, once he realized the sound of the shot piercing the target came from him. It wasn’t on the bullseye by any means, but it was _on the target_. Sideswipe’s optics widened in bright, elated, triumphant disbelief. “I did it… Primus! Pops! Pops, I did it! Look! Did you see that? Did you see what I did?!”

Ironhide beamed broadly, although he knew nothing would be able to match the expression on his son’s faceplates. “Ah sure did, kiddo! That’s really good shootin’ Sides! Ah’m really proud of ya!”

“Do you think I can do it again, Pops?”

“Ah sure do, Sideswipe. Ya can do anythin’ ya set yer processor ta. Tell ya what, if ya hit the target three more times, ‘fore we gotta let the recruits practice, Ah’ll get Lolly ta bake us some of yer favorite treats.”

Sideswipe’s optics glittered with hope. Ratchet’s treats were the absolute greatest! “You promise?”

“Ah cross mah spark.” Ironhide nodded in affirmation and grinned, as he patted Sideswipe on the helm once in encouragement. “Now then, ya get ta work, n’ Ah’m gonna check on yer brothers. Alright?”

Sideswipe nodded vigorously, already getting himself ready to go for another shot.

Ironhide’s smile was full of creatorly pride and warmth, as he went to go check up on his other two. By Primus, he loved his kids.


End file.
